Meredith Rizzo

One day you're worrying about the regular old coronavirus. Then — seemingly out of the blue — there are variants. Worrisome variants! How did they come to be? And why are they likely more contagious?

Celebrations, milestones and daily routines happen whether we're ready or not, and the summer of 2020 was no different. As Americans sought relief in an ongoing pandemic, they got creative.

Family violence increases in places that have been severely burned in bushfires, Australian research finds. The isolation and financial stress of COVID-19 appear to be exacerbating the problem.

After deadly 2009 wildfires, authorities offered to buy property to encourage people to move. Few accepted. The questions raised by Australia's experience are freshly urgent after its latest fires.

Students, business owners, sanitation workers and doctors are all struggling to cope with the daily frustrations of living in a city of 7 million that's afraid of an outbreak of COVID-19.

Heavy rains in eastern Australia are causing mudslides and debris flows in areas that burned. Scientists are trying to predict when and where slides are likely to happen.

In the year since Paradise, Calif., was devastated by fire, certain flame-tinged objects — scorched pottery fragments or remnants of toys — have become talismans of resilience beyond pain.

They had always been partners, in a way — artists who connected through their work. So, when Gene DiRado began withdrawing from the world, his son rushed toward him — and brought along a camera.

How much damage a bullet does when fired at the human body hinges on physics. Our latest "Let's Talk" video shows and explains why certain types of ammunition cause greater havoc than others.

In this episode of the Invisibilia podcast, our hosts explore how it feels to be "in between," including the story of one woman who spends so much time daydreaming that it interferes with her life.